KC Walkability Plan, important hearing Wed, March 6th, 1:30PM

[Late addition: Here is the KCMO staff report on the Walkability Plan. It has all the details about what the plan is about, where it has been, and where it is going. MSWord format.]

Walkability Friends:

The public hearing before the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee of City Council on the adoption of the Kansas City Walkability Plan, Resolution # 030211, has been scheduled for:

Wednesday, March 5, 2003
26th Floor City Hall Council Chambers
414 E. 12th Street
(southeast corner of 11th and Oak; public garage across the street to the west)

The docket starts at 1:30 p.m. and the hearing on the Walkability Plan could happen anytime thereafter, though we are listed in the middle of the docket. That means that you may need to be patient (bring something to read), or they could take us early.

Please plan to attend this crucial Council hearing. In addition, you may e-mail the Council committee in advance of the hearing at:

planning@kcmo.org

You should address the body of your e-mail to: Councilman Ed Ford, Chairman of the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, Councilwoman Bonnie Sue Cooper, Councilman Troy Nash, and Councilwoman Mary Williams-Neal, and note that it is in reference to Resolution # 030211 Kansas City Walkability Plan. The Secretary to the committee organizes the e-mails and presents them to the chairman at the hearing.

Find individual council email addresses on the KCMO city council web site.

[You can see a draft of the walkability plan on the KCMO web site (somewhat out of date, but gives you the general idea.]

The Plan for Council consideration contains two amendments recommended by the City Plan Commission:

The Walkability Plan recommends a policy of mandating completion of
sidewalks in new subdivisions by the original subdivision developers
or lot owners by a date certain or after a certain percentage of the
subdivision has been sold. City staff should develop a mechanism to
implement this policy.

Because Capital Improvements funding is limited, the City should
provide neighborhoods with planning assistance in forming a Community
or Neighborhood Improvement Districts to help finance walkability
improvements as identified through Neighborhood Walking Surveys or
Pedestrian Level of Service surveys.

The revised Walkability Plan also contains a revision to key recommendation # 1 that staff is proposing as a compromise solution to the concerns of residential developers. The new language, with undelines showing additions and strikeouts showing deletions, is as follows:

The Pedestrian Traffic Impact Analysis would be required in any of
the following circumstances:

a. When a Traffic Impact Study is required;
b. Where the proposed development is requesting City incentives;
c. When the proposed development includes commercial or
institutional uses of at least 15,000 square feet;
d. When the proposed development includes mixed uses
(commercial/residential/institutional uses in any combination);
e. When a proposed development includes an arterial or larger
street.
f. When the proposed development is located in or within ¼ mile of
Pedestrian-Oriented Zones, Great Street and Boulevards, Mixed Use
and Multimodal Transportation Centers, Transit Impact Zones as
designated in the FOCUS Kansas City Plan;

If a. - e do not apply, City staff shall use Pedestrian LOS
standards to evaluate and make recommendations on proposed
residential development consisting of at least 20 dwelling units,
which may reasonably regarded as a contiguous neighborhood or which
are part of a single subdivision, when such development is to be
located within ¼ mile of Pedestrian-Oriented Zones, Great Street
and Boulevards, Mixed Use and Multimodal Transportation Centers,
Transit Impact Zones, Schools/Parks/Community
Centers/Libraries/Hospital/Health Care facilities, transit stops or
commercial uses of 15,000 square feet or larger, or the land use
plan or zoning calls for those uses.

Please e-mail or call if you have questions.

Lynnis Jameson, Senior Planner
City Planning and Development Department
Lynnis_Jameson@kcmo.orgPZEDStaffReportWalkabilityPlan.DOC